Typically, gas turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air with fuel and igniting the mixture, and a turbine blade assembly for producing power. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical gas turbine engine includes a shaft cover 2 that is supported in place downstream from a compressor section 3 and upstream from a turbine section 4. The shaft cover 2 surrounds the shaft extending from the compressor section 3 to the turbine section 4. The shaft cover is typically supported in place with twelve shaft cover support struts 5 extending from the outer case to the shaft cover 2. The struts 5 are solid and provide structural support only. The struts 5 support the shaft cover 2 but also create an impediment to the compressor air flow.
The gas turbine engine also includes a plurality of rotor air cooling pipes 6 that extend radially inward through the compressor air flowpath. The position of the rotor air cooling pipes 6 creates additional obstructions in the compressor air flowpath. As such, the rotor air cooling pipes 6 further reduce the effectiveness of the compressor air flow and the turbine engine.